A critical incident that was declared by the Welsh Ambulance Service earlier this week has now been stood down. The trust declared a critical incident on Monday, December 30 after the service was struggling to cope with demand.
At the time the service said there was a backlog of more than 340 calls waiting to be answered, and half the trust’s ambulances were waiting outside hospitals in an attempt to handover patients. As a result some patients waited far longer than they should expect for an ambulance. Fortunately, despite the service remaining very busy, the critical incident has now been stood down. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news. You will receive updates from us daily.
Judith Bryce, assistant director of operations, said: “We would once again like to apologise to all those patients who have waited far too long for an ambulance during an extremely challenging 48-hour period. While the critical incident is behind us, significant pressures remain, and it’s really important that the public play their part to protect our precious resources for those who need them most.”
Ms Bryce urged the public to use 111 where possible, and only call 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency. She also urged patients to consider using alternative services like pharmacies, GP surgeries and minor injuries units.
She added: “For anyone under the weather after New Year’s Eve celebrations, consider what you can do at home to self-care, including for common ailments like coughs, sore throats and diarrhoea. And while yellow weather warnings remain in place for heavy rain and high winds, please take extra care to avoid accidents on the road, as well as slips, trips and falls.”
The NHS in Wales is currently struggling with an increase in demand partly due to a surge in flu cases. A number of hospitals across the country are asking visitors and patients to wear face masks when on their sites in order to protect themselves and others. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here
Ms Bryce reflected on the pressures that flu is causing the service in her statement, and added: “More broadly, help limit the spread of viruses by staying at home if you have flu-like symptoms, washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water, keeping your distance from vulnerable people if you’re unwell, and – of course – having your flu vaccine and Covid-19 booster.”
It comes as the number of people who have taken up the offer of a flu jab has fallen significantly this year. Just 27% of NHS staff who have direct contact with patients have had their flu jab this year, compared with 33% last year.